EA cancels Black Panther recreation and closes studio creating it

EA is cancelling its Black Panther recreation and shutting the studio creating it, Cliffhanger Video games, as half of a bigger spherical of layoffs on the firm, IGN reports. The third-person action-adventure recreation was originally announced in July 2023 as one in all a number of Marvel initiatives being developed at EA studios.

IGN writes {that a} smaller variety of individuals are being laid off than the previous round of cuts that impacted Titanfall developer Respawn, however EA remains to be eliminating roles exterior of Cliffhanger, together with folks on the writer’s “cell and central groups.” EA is reportedly telling workers that the layoffs are a option to “sharpen our focus and put our artistic vitality behind probably the most important progress alternatives.”

As of proper now, these “alternatives” embody an Iron Man game in growth at EA Motive, the following Star Wars Jedi recreation from Respawn, and new entries in a couple of key franchises, like The Sims, Battlefield, Skate and Apex Legends. Past that, the corporate has EA Sports activities and the following Mass Impact recreation, although Bioware has gone via multiple rounds of layoffs since 2023, so there’s uncertainty there, too. In an analogous option to the way it approached Bioware’s restructuring, IGN experiences that EA is looking for roles for at the very least some Cliffhanger Video games workers in different elements of the corporate.

Engadget has contacted EA for remark and can replace this text if we hear again.

EA rising disinterest in licensed video games as been public since at the very least February 2024, when CEO Andrew Wilson announced that the corporate was “transferring away from growth of future licensed IP that we don’t imagine can be profitable in our altering business.” The corporate just lately introduced a brand new technique recreation utilizing the Star Wars license — Star Wars Zero Company — however that appears extra like an outlier than the norm.

EA’s Black Panther recreation wasn’t the one mission that includes the character — Amy Hennig’s Marvel 19943: Rise of Hydra hasn’t been cancelled but — however it does appears unusual the corporate gave up so simply. Black Panther made over $1.3 billion throughout its unique run in theaters. It appears solely potential the identical viewers that loved the film would present up for a brand new recreation that includes their favourite Marvel character.